


Between Father and Son

by HisGlasses



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Bonding Moments, Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV, Father and Son, Gen, teenage Noct
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-09-20 15:44:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17025483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HisGlasses/pseuds/HisGlasses
Summary: That day Noctis had been denied the entry to the throne room. Where had those private moments with his father gone...?





	Between Father and Son

**Author's Note:**

  * For [blitzychan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blitzychan/gifts).



> Hello dear blitzychan~  
> I was chosen to complete your request for the ffxv holiday exchange and I went with the father and son bonding moments you wished for! Or well, I hope it comes close to what you wished for.  
> I really really hope you will like it and that I hit the mark x3

“What do you mean, I can’t see him now?!”

The Crownsguard flinched at the raised voice and a crack of magical tension in the air, not yet channeled enough to be threatening. They surely hadn’t expected a furious crown prince to arrive in front of them at the doorstep to the throne room.  
“A-as I said, the king is in a conference right now and is not receiving any visitors.”

Noctis stared at him incredulously.  
“Visitors? I’m not just a _visitor_ and I _order_ you to let me in!”

The Crownsguard straightened out his back, putting on the most military stance he could manage.  
“Apologies, your Highness. It’s the king’s orders. We can’t let you through.”

A sound of frustration reverberated from the marble halls, accompanied by the stomping of an angry teenager foot on the ground. Just when Noctis contemplated about summoning a sword from the corner of the Armiger he already had access to, Cor Leonis appeared down the aisle, much to the Crownsguard’s relief.

“Is there a problem, your Highness?”, Cor asked, his cold eyes pinning Noctis into place, seeming to suck in all of the fury he had just been feeling moments ago. He never understood how Cor was doing this but under his stare he always felt insignificant and weak. He hated it.

“Look, I just-”  
Noctis groaned, feeling his rage dissolve to sulkiness. There was really no point in any of this.  
“They don’t want to let me in, okay?”

“The king is in a meeting now”, Cor stated flatly.

“I KNOW! It’s just- argh, forget it!”  
Noctis threw both his hands to the air, stomping away through a corridor that appeared for longer than when he had arrived here. It was just frustrating. Frustrating and beyond. It was not like Noctis didn’t know his father was busy with trying to run the kingdom and hold it against the Niflheim Empire. He didn’t have to be told so over and over again, he got it. He wasn’t stupid. And still...

The door slammed shut as Noctis threw his school bag into the aisle of his apartment with a grunt. This goddamn apartment he had wanted in order to be freed from the stuffy atmosphere at the Citadel. Which he was. And he would never go back there, not to live. At least not until he had to. But that didn’t justify them to shut him out from seeing his father.

“Stupid shit!”

Noctis threw himself onto the couch, curling up into a ball to be with nobody but him and himself alone. His eyes grazed over the coffee table, where Ignis had left some note for him again, probably something about food in the fridge. As always.

He squeezed his eyes shut. How had it come to this? The solitude he had been searching the past two years had turned back on him. He felt isolated, lonely. Sure, Ignis was coming over to pester him with things almost on a daily basis and Prompto was there at school, Gladio at training. But still. That was not the same. They were not the same as real family.

Family...  
Noctis pulled his knees closer, pressing his face into one of the cushions. It hadn’t always been that way. He had known happier times, before he had come into the fire line of the Empire. Before they had launched a daemon at him, robbing him of his good health and before they had wiped the smile off his face as they burned down Tenebrae, chasing after him like some precious animal. And even now, the Empire was still taking everything from him, first of all his father.

When was the last time he could recall laughing together? When had they really been really just enjoying themselves, not just distant catching up on things at the occasional dinner table? What kind of family moments really were there...?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
“Dad! Dad! Look at all those different fishes!”  
Noctis pulled the sleeve of Regis’ suit, pointing at the window glass of the huge water tank.

“It’s _fish_ , Noctis”, Regis smiled as he let himself be pulled closer to the window by the small hand of his excited son.

“Yes, but so many of them!”

The king chuckled as he knelt beside his son, looking at the hustle and bustle in the water from his tiny point of view. His plan to take him to the aquarium for his fifth birthday had been a good one, perfect even. Noctis’ eyes were sparkling, chasing one fish after the other, pointing at those that attracted most of his attention.

“Look! The orange-white ones are so fast!”

“Yes, they are. They are called...” Regis searched the name plates for the corresponding species. “Ah, there. Amphiprion percula.”

“Anp- Ampripon.”  
Noctis frowned.  
“Amprion burglar.”  
His little frown deepened as he looked up to his father with a pout.  
“Why is this so difficult? Can I give them a nickname?”

“Oh, they already have one”, Regis answered amused. “They are called ‘clownfish’.”

Noctis’ eyes widened in wonder.  
“Clownfish? But they can’t even tell jokes.”

“Who knows? Do you speak the language of the fish, Noctis? Maybe they are funny.”

The little prince threw a skeptical look at his father, not quite sure if he should believe him or not.  
“But how do they talk? They don’t even have air.”

Regis pondered for a short moment before whispering into Noctis’ ear.  
“Maybe you can ask the mermaids one day, if you manage to meet one.”

“Mermaids?!”

Regis laughed, looking at his son’s outburst of excitement, a wide toothy smile plastered on his face.  
“Are they here? Can I ask them now?”

The king ruffled the black hair of his overly eager son before he stands again.  
“No, I don’t think they have mermaids here, Noctis. Those are mythical creatures of the wild. Some lucky fishermen are said to have seen one in person, but those cases are very rare. Nobody knows what waters they dwell in.”

What started to look like disappointment transformed into resolve, as Noctis looked back up again, both of his tiny hands stemmed into his sides.  
“When I grow up, I will meet one too. I will look at eeevery lake and river in the kingdom, even the sea! And when I catch her, I will bring her to the Citadel. Then you can meet her too!”

“Time to pick up fishing then”, Regis smiled as Noctis clutched his arms around his legs in a gushy hug, squealing in excitement.

“Sure!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Noctis’ eyes fluttered open at the sound of his mobile phone buzzing on the table. Had he fallen asleep? He rubbed his eyes and took a look out of the window. The sun was about to set soon, painting the sky in yellows and pinks, making the buildings stand out against them like giant black fingers.

“Evening already...?”, he mumbled as he frowned and blinked to bring into focus who was calling him. Despite usually waking slowly, Noctis was wide awake in an instant as his eyes cracked open wide in surprise.

“Dad?”

_[“Noctis, I’m glad I could reach you. Are you home right now?”]_

Noctis flung himself up to seated, quickly scanning his surroundings. It didn’t look all too bad, apart from the things he had scattered over the place when coming home earlier. Not too big a damage.  
“Y-yeah? I am.”

_[“Could you maybe come down for a moment, shoes on your feet?”]_

What was this about?  
“Uh, sure? Something the matter?”  
For a moment he feared a reproach about his behaviour at the throne room door and thought about playing sick after all.

_[“I wanted to take you out for dinner for a change and I thought you might want to pick the place?”]_

Oh.  
“O-kay? There in a minute.”  
He frowned at the display after he had ended the call. That was odd. They always had dinner at the Citadel if they were eating together. It was always Cor who would get him and drive him there. His father was definitely up to something. Hopefully nothing bad...

Once downstairs, sneakers at his feet and his favourite Behemoth jacket around his shoulders, he saw Regis standing there, casually leaning against the driver’s door or the Regalia. Only the cane and the knee brace betrayed his physical condition. He smiled as Noctis shuffled closer, who was suddenly missing his fringe to glance through. Stupid school regulations.

“Good evening, son. I hope I have not ripped you out of any important activities?”

Noctis shrugged.  
“Just the usual.”  
He shot his father a look from the corner of his eye as he rounded the car to get settled on the passenger seat. He had the impression to hear a sigh before he closed the door and adjusted himself comfortably.

A place to eat, just anywhere would do the thing. Next to him, Regis let himself fall into the driver’s seat, pulling up the braced leg into the car with both of his hands. Noctis looked at the procedure from the side. He hated seeing his father weaken. He had never been weak, always somebody strong to look up to. That was before Noctis had gotten a taste of what powers the Crystal was sapping from him. And not only the Crystal. All of the politics and the other unimportant stuff.

“Scowling like that will give you wrinkles sooner than you think.”

Noctis immediately opened up his eyes wide, lifting his eyebrows until they touched the non-existent fringe. Regis laughed and Noctis felt only a little better, snuggling his back against the leather seat.

“So, have you decided?”

“Sushi?”, Noctis answered in a suggestion, shrugging. “That place around Central Station?”

Regis nodded.  
“Alright, sushi it is.”

The engine of the Regalia purred to life as the royal duo slid into the evening, leaving tall and taller buildings behind them on their way. It was quiet but for the low rumble of the car and Noctis liked it. The faint noise, the smell of the leather seats and his father’s aftershave...

When his eyes flickered open again, they were about to leave the city for more deserted territory and Noctis sat upright in a second.  
“H-hey, we’re going the wrong way. We have to turn around.”  
He threw his head around to see Regis drive all calmly.

“I am aware. Just permit me a little detour beforehand.”

Noctis rolled with his eyes and let himself fall back into the seat again with a discontent groan. Great. Another of his duty work getting in the way. Again.

After another moments had ticked by, Regis spoke up, eyes still on the road.  
“Cor told me you have been at the throne room earlier today.”  
It was a statement, yet the question was hovering in the air. Noctis wished he wouldn’t have addressed it.

“Maybe”, he answered, shrinking a little in his seat. He wasn’t really in the mood for one of his father’s lectures. Not at all. And he would be in for one now after how he had behaved earlier. Hopefully it would be over fast.

“I have been talking about important measures the kingdom has to take.”

“Yeah. Cor said that.”

“Do you want to tell me now what you wanted back then?”

Noctis rolled his eyes, sighing sharply. Thinking of it now it was more than stupid and didn’t justify his behaviour at all.  
“Nothing important, really.”

“And if I insist?”

“Argh, fine! I ranked 4th in class at the mid-term exam. Happy now?”  
If only sulking could lessen how childish that sounded. No big deal, it was expected of him anyway.  
“N-not that I’m proud of that.”

“After being in the lower third last semester?” Regis rounded his eyes in genuine surprise. “Congratulations, your efforts really paid off. You make your old man proud, son.”

Noctis shrugged.  
“No big deal to you, I bet. Having your hands full with more important stuff every day. Something like this must sound really stupid. Same for wanting to see each other, just like any normal family would.” Did he really say that aloud?

The Regalia pulled aside, lowering her speed before coming to a full standing.  
_Oh no, here it comes..._

“Can I ask you to get out for a moment?”, Regis asked as he opened his own door to step into the sunset lit wasteland at the beginning of the Leide area.  
Reluctantly Noctis opened the door and swung his legs out of the homely car, his soles hitting the dusty ground.

“And now?”  
He kicked up one or two stones as he dragged his foot over the crusty street.

“And now, you sit here.”  
Regis pointed at his side of the car with a calm but cunning smile. Maybe it was only the light but Noctis thought he saw a tad of sadness in his eyes.

“There?” Noctis’ eyes widened in surprise, much more than he had intended them to.  
“You mean, to _drive_?”

“Well, we see how far you get?”

Driving the Regalia had been a dream Noctis had had for ages. Yet, sitting in the driver’s seat, all those buttons and levers around him, he couldn’t deny that it was overwhelming. He didn’t want to admit it but it was kind of intimidating.

“You never told me there were three pedals?!”

Regis laughed.  
“You never asked. And yes, there are three pedals.”

Noctis just sat there, rattled by the complexity of things, frustrated that he couldn’t grasp what to do. He tried getting the engine on but it wouldn’t start. Not after Regis told him to push the clutch and keep it down. The roaring of the engine didn’t last long as Noctis’ foot rose too quickly, making the car jump forward before it came to standing again, engine died down. Twice.

“What the heck?!”  
Noctis threw his arms into the air and shot his father an aghast look.  
“You make it look so easy?! Explain this?!”

Regis readjusted himself in his seat after the leap and chuckled at the baffled outburst of his son.  
“Being able to maneuver the Regalia takes a lot of instruction and practise in advance. You have not only to stir the wheel but also manage the gears, take care of the lamps and little signals without taking your eyes off the road and your surroundings.”

“There is no way I can manage all of this. How are you able to do all that? And you don’t even make mistakes?”

“On the road, even experienced drivers sometimes lose sight of what they shouldn’t. Ruling a kingdom is not much different. Sometimes you have to focus on one thing and lose sight of another in return” Regis smiled gently.  
“You are almost an adult now, Noctis. Your old man forgets about your need of attention from time to time.”

“I’m not ‘in need of attention’”, Noctis sulked, crossing his arms in front of his chest.  
“Not... that much at least”, he added with a mutter. “Might as well let me see you once in a while. Not that I don’t know you’re busy.”

Regis nodded with a benevolent expression, sadness lacing his brows.  
“Please forgive me, my son. I wish I had more time to give.”

Bad conscience was nagging at Noctis’ mind. Still it had been what he had felt at that moment. Feeling left alone, discarded.

“Being king is a lonely matter, Noctis”, Regis mused, looking at the streetlights in the open. “I hope you will keep those you value and love close so they may accompany you in your hardest times. But never forget that in the end it is not them who have to face your obstacles. It is you and you alone.”

“Talk about pressure”, Noctis scoffed, one hand on the door handle already. He wasn’t yet fit to be sitting here. Neither in the driver’s seat, nor on the throne. And he had to become stronger, find the strength his father had, dealing with the solitude bearing the crown brings. Maybe it was just something Noctis had to accept.

“I love you, son”, Regis told Noctis as they had switched places again and Noctis was just buckling up. “Even when I’m not with you.”

Noctis rolled his eyes theatrically but couldn’t help a wry grin stealing itself on his face.  
“Yeah, sure.”  
A grumbling noise rose from Noctis’ stomach.

“Sushi?”, his father asked, one brow raised suggestively as he turned on the engine.

”Sushi.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
“What? What’s this about?”  
Noctis scowled at the silver car in front of him, small and old. A miracle to imagine it would move at all without any parts coming off.

“Yes, your Highness”, the Glaive bowed. Galahdian, as his face markings and the typical braided hair suggested. “His Majesty deemed it wiser for you to take lessons in an expendable car. Also, he sends the best wishes for your birthday and hopes you will get the hang of driving soon.”

For another moment he eyed the car in a mixture of denial and wonder before he sighed and shook his head with a small grin.  
“So, you’re going to be my driving instructor?”

“Yes, your Highness. That’s what I have been ordered to.”

“What’s your name?”

The Glaive frowned before he straightened out to salute.  
“The name is Nyx Ulric.”

Noctis nodded.  
“Alright, Nyx. Then let’s go. Is there a possibility to fast forward this? Becoming able to drive, I mean.”

Nyx’ eyebrows shot up.  
“Well, I guess it all depends on how fast you’ll get a hang of it. Are you in some kind of hurry?”

Noctis opened the door to the driver’s seat, only to be faced with basically the same mechanics as he had seen in his father’s car. Maybe a little less complicated at least. He sighed. It was not like him to give up on first sight. So why not just try?  
“Yeah, kind of. But let’s get this on the road then.”

_And then, some day, I’ll take dad on a spin with the Regalia. Just you wait. I’ll make you proud._


End file.
